Escape device



W. D. M INTYRE ESCAPE DEVICE Filed Feb. 7. 195 0 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 RM Wm m m 2 m 6 MY 0 y aw H 5 B J 0 4 if? T A z 5 I "NJ m M M? M Z a m fl June 8, 1954 w. D. MQINTYRE ESCAPE DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 7, 1950 I INVENTOR WILL/AM D- MC/NTYRE *FMw ATTORNEYS June 8, 1954 w. D. MCINTYRE ESCAPE DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 7, 1950 N, QM $1 INVENTOR WILL/AM D- M c/NT VRE WWW ATTORNEYS Patented June 8, 1954 UNITED ENT OFFICE 4 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to safety devices and more particularly to a reel and tape or wire so arranged that a person may utilize the device to descend in safety from the exterior of a building or other structure.v

Various attempts have been made to provide escape devices particularly for use as safety devices in the event of fire. Such devices have included ropes and reels mounted adjacent window openings and so arranged that the rope payed out from a reel located stationarily adjacent the window opening.

Thus, the rate of descent was not under the control of the user of the device in any way.

In the present invention the reel and cable are arranged in such manner that the reel is located adjacent theuser of the safety device at all times during the descent and the rate of descent is automatically controlled by the weight of the user, as well as being, where desired, subject to his own manual control.

The primary object of this invention, therefore, is the provision of a novel escape device comprising acable or tape and reel where the reel is located at all times adjacent the user of the cable or tape is controlled with respect to the rate of descent automatically by the weight of the user and wherein the user may, if he desires, exert additional braking pressure.

The foregoing and many other objects of the invention will become apparent in the following description and drawings in which:

Figure l is a view in perspective illustrating the use of the novel escape device of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Figure 3 looking in the direction of the arrows of the novel escape device utilizing a tape arrangement.

Figure 3 is a view partly in section taken from line -3-3 of Figure 2 looking in the direction of the arrows and showing a side view of the tape and reel.

Figure 4 is a view corresponding to that of Figure 3 showing, however, the automatic compensation of the brake as the tape pays out.

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 5 of Figure 6 looking in the direction of the arrows and illustrating the present invention as applied to the utilization of a cable.

Figure 6 is a side view partly broken away of the escape unit ofFigure 5.

' Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 'I-'! of Figure 6 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 8,is a developed view of the supporting.

device attached to theescape device for the person utilizing the same.

Referring first to Figures 1 to 4, the novel escape device therein shown comprises a casing.

IE! having the flat side walls Ii, 12 and the peripheral wall I3.

The peripheralwall I3 is provided with a slot or opening land the ends of the peripheral wall I3 at the slot or opening. H! are curled over to provide thebearings I5, 55 for the tape I6 which emerges from the slot Id, the bearing elements I5 being appropriately curved so that. no cutting stress or additional undesired frictional stress will be placed on the tape I 6 as it emerges from the casing 18.

In use, the entire unitis arranged with the tape I6 completely wound in the casing I0 and a short length of the tape It, approximately forinstance ten feet, extends irom'the casing H3 so that the free end may readily be secured around some stationary object in the room, such as a water pipe, radiator pipe or an appropriate piece of heavy furniture, toprovide an anchor for'the tape I 6.

Various means may be utilized to provide this securement. Thus, for instance, the tape It may be provided at its free end with a hook or buckle which will facilitate the securement of the tape around the stationary object or as shown in Figure 1 an auxiliary cable end 2c may be riveted at 2| to the end of tape It, the cable end 29 being provided with a friction type buckle 22 generally well known so that an end of cable 28 may be wrapped around a pipe 23 and secured in buckle 22.

The tape I6 may be provided with a similar buckle so that the tape may be wound around a pipe 23 without the necessity for the additional cable end 20.

The casing I c is provided with a central hollow bushing so which forms anaxle for the reel 32 within the casing Ill? The central portion 33 of reel 32 rotates on the bushing 30. is provided with' the annular flanges 35 which are turned over .on'the outer surfaces of the walls It and 12 of :casing iiijthe saidwalls H and I2 being provided with appropriate openings 35 and which: are held lrotatably between flanges lt-and Bushing 3i] the bushing 39 on one side and 4| and the bushing 3% on the other side. This prevents any skewing of the reel base 33 which may interfere with the operation of the device.

The reel base 33 has secured thereto and preferably integral therewith the circular disc members Q5 and at which define an annular space 59 in which the tape it may be wound, t e space 50 being so dimensioned that the turns of the tape 16 wound therein are controlled and cannot slip laterally while, nevertheless, they may move freely with respect to the disc walls 45 and 46.

The outer ends of walls 45 and 36 are provided with the annular flanges 52, 53, respectively, these flanges also assisting in preventing skewing of the reel and primarily providing a brake drum on which the brake 66 may operate in a manner hereinafter described to control the rate of unwinding of the reel 32.

A bell crank lever id is rotatably mounted on the pivot ii at the lower end of easing i8 between walls H and I2 and beneath the tape reel 32. The upwardly directed end 13 of bell crank lever H3 is provided with pin 14 around which the loop 75 of brake Ell is secured, loop 75 being maintained by the rivet 76.

The brake band $5 is slotted and held on one side by pin it, the loop '15 on each side being held in place against arm 73 of the bell crank lever i9 by the side walls H and 12 of the housing.

The brake band is also slotted at the top to provide an exit for the tape as shown at H3 in Figure 13.

The two part brake band 68, til is wrapped around the flanges 53 and 52, respectively, each of which forms a brake drum for the brake band, and the end of the brake band is slotted and secured by loops 8G to pin 8! on arm 82 of hell crank lever 83 pivoted on pin 84 at the right side of the lower end of the casing it as shown in Figure 3.

The securement of the opposite ends of the brake band to the pin Bl of bell crank lever 83 is for compensating purposes to ensure steady brake pressure as hereinafter described.

Arm 99 of hell crank lever 16 is provided with 1 canvas or other brceches buoy type of support I96 under the seat portion thereof and up once more continuously as strap 33 back to the point of securement.

In Figure 8 there is shown an arrangement wherein the straps m2 and E83 which are essentially a single strap are held in any suitable manner on the backing or breeches buoy type of device I06.

The front flap Ht of the support N16 is provided with strap ill! riveted thereto. The main section I65 is provided with waist bands Hi and H2, one of which has a buckle H3 and the other appropriate openings l M so that the waist bands II I, H2 may be buckled around the waist of the user to hold him in the position shown in Figure 1 where he is free to brace his feet against the building wall during descent and where in the event of any disability he is fully supported so that he will be safe during descent should he be unable to provide any assistance for himself during the descent.

It will be seen that the rate of paying out of tape it is controlled since the rate of rotation of reel 32 within casing IQ is in turn controlled by the brake band E58. Brake band 60 is tensioned by the downward pull on arm 983 exerted by the weight of the person descending. Arm so since it is part of the bell crank lever it exerts a clockwise force on arm 73 to tension the brake band.

The brake band is provided with appropriate friction surfaces 12a) to exert the required braking force. The degree of braking force is determined by the weight hanging from end 98 of the bell crank lever 76.

Thus, a lighter person will exert a lesser braking force and a heavier person will exert an increased braking force. Thus, the weight of the person using the device and the braking force exerted are proportional to each other so that a constant rate of descent is provided irrespective of the size of the person making the descent.

However, as the diameter of the outer turn of the tape in reel 32 decreases owing to the paying out of the tape, the distance of the tape from the center of rotation 3% decreases, thereby decreasing the moment of the tape around the center. Owing to this decrease in moment, the rotative force on the reel will gradually be decreased as the tape decreases diameter from the condition of Figure 3 when the descent starts to the condition of Figure 4 where the descent is almost completed.

Unless special means were provided to compensate for this, the braking force, should it be maintained at a constant force, will tend to slow down the reel to a halt. This is avoided or rather compensated for by the utilization of the compensating bell crank lever 83-3 above described.

A previously pointed out, the opposite ends of the brake band were fastened to pin St on arm 82 of bell crank lever 83. The other arm E38 of bell crank lever 83 comprises a finger passing between the side walls 45 and 56 of the reel 32 and resting on the outer surface of the tape i 5 on the reel 32.

As the diameter of the tape E6 on the reel 32 decreases, the pull of the brake band on pin 8| drives the finger H38 in against the outer surface of the tape 56 remaining on reel 32. This permits pin 8! to move counterclockwise in a direction to loosen the brake band 59. The length of arm 82 of hell crank lever 33 is adjusted so that the degree of loosening of the brake band 60 as the tape unreels compensates exactly for the decrease in moment of the outer turn of the tape about the center axle 39 so that a constant rate of descent is maintained.

In addition, opening 9 5 is provided at the outer =1, end of arm 98 of bell crank lever it and cable is secured therein to serve as a hand-brake pull the greater leverage permitting the individual using the device to stop his descent at any time by a pull on cable 95.

In actual use, therefore, the person desiring to utilize the escape device fastens the end 26 of the cable secured to tape it or the end of tape 15 around the stationary structure, such as the pipe 23. Enough of the tape, as previously pointed out, extends from the casing so that the individual may efiect this securement and reach and climb out of a window before the braking device takes eifect.

The individual after making the securement steps into the canvas seat [G3, which as previously pointed out is constructed. like a breeches buoy,.

He then drops down whereupon the brake band 60 is tensioned around the brake drums to a degree inproportion to his weight in order to slow down his rate of descent. The metallic tape l6 should not be too hard drawn so that the wrapping stress would be low.

It has been found that an appropriate tape for this purpose may be .022 thick by A" wide drawn steelribbon, S. A. E. 1085 or equivalent, wt.- .0193 #/foot, ultimate strength 825. pounds mini mum, yield strength M5 pounds maximum with a spool diameter of 1.75" and 130 turns. The last turn will be 7.5 in diameter providing 157 feet of tape and thereby making the device usable up to approximately fifteen stories.

The casing and spool are preferably of an aluminum alloy and the brake chute of steel.

In Figures 5, 6 and 7 the invention is shown as applied to the utilization of a cable rather than a tape with a different type of braking ,action. The cable 256 is wound on the spool 232 which rotates within the anti-friction bushings 239.

The casing walls 23d and 28! are provided with central hubs 282 and 293, respectively, which may rotate freely on the outside of the anti-friction bronze bushings 23s. A peripheral wall 2l3 is also provided having an opening 2 M at its upper sid through which the cable 216 may pass.

The opening may be appropriately curved as at M5 or provided with other bearing surfaces so that no binding or tearing force will be placed on the cable 25a The walls 288 and 28! are thus rotatable with respect to the reel 232 and vice versa.

Reel 232 is provided with the discs ZIB and 2H serving to contain th cable Zle wound thereon. Walls 25% and 2%! are provided with the annular brake linings 212 and 252a which engage the walls 2M, 25 l of the reel 23! to brake the same. Brake pin 25d passes through the center of reel 232 and has on one side a head 25! engaging the outer surface of wall are in hub 2132. On the opposite side brake pin 25% passes through bearing 252 in hub 283 of wall 2TH.

Braking lever 259 is pivotally mounted on pin 26! which extends transversely through th braking pin 25:2. The lower end 262 of braking lever 26% extends down beneath the casing unit and terminates in appropriate means, such as the metal loop 253 to which the harness shown at the lower end of Figure 1 and in Figure 8 may be secured. Th upper end 2 55 of braking lever 26! is provided with a cross piece 266 which bears,

against the outer surface of hub.2il3 of wall 26!.

The weight of the person descending exerted onv loop 253 at the end 2% of lever 26E exerts a counterclockwise rotative movement about pin 26! of th lever 2%, driving section 265 of arm 255 of lever 25% against the outside of hub 283 of wall 26!. Owing to the curvature of lever 269 at 236, portion 2% of lever 2553 now becomes the fulcrum and the lever 2B8 exerts a pull toward the right on cross pin 259.

Thus, exactly equal and opposite forces are exerted, to the left by section 2% of the lever 260 and to the right by pin 28! on which the lever 268 is pivoted.

Therefore, hub 263 and wall Zfil are driven to the left and hub 2% and wall 2% are pulled to the right, squeezing the braking surfaces ZlZa against the discs Zlil and 2! l of the reel 232.

The braking force exerted is thereby in pro- 6 portion .to the weight, of the person suspended from loop 263: of the lever.

The loop 263 of lever 260 is located beneath the openin 2M so that the unit will be erect during descent. and not be skewedto one side. The unit is used in the same way as was described for Figures 1 to 4.

In addition, -a manual braking control may be tothe left and to cause pin 2M acting through I pin 256 to pull wall 299 to the right.

The leverage is such that this additional braking force which may b manually exerted may bring the device to a stop. Thus, if the rate of descent is too fast or if there is any reason to stop the device, the user may do so by pulling on the free cord attached to the loop 2&2.

. Initial braking force may be provided by the compressionspring 280 between wall 20! and lever 250 so that the cable 2; may not be accidentally pulled out before it is intended to be used.

Also, to prevent undesired unreeling of cable 2 l 6, a lock pin 3% may be inserted through opening 313! in hub 252,.opening 382 in the reel axle 232 and additional opening 3&3 in the hub 282.

Before the reel-can rotate to permit the unwinding of cable 216, the pin Bill! must first be drawn out. Where the compression spring 2% is used, then to maintain some initial braking force the pin 30!} is actually unnecessary, although it may also be used, if desired.

When the pin 360 is provided, the user must, of course, be instructed to pull the pin 389 out before exerting his weight on the device since the pressure of the users weight may make it difficult to withdraw the pin 3%.

Since thewalls Mil and Kill! must be free to move toward each other, they are not directly and rigidly connected to the peripheral wall 2H5 but instead must be connected in such manner that they may have some movement toward and away from each other.

One means by which this function may be accomplished is to provide the walls 23% and 2t! (Figure 6) with extensions 3:3 recesses 35 l.

The peripheral wall 2.!3 is provided with exten- 1 sions 3l5 which are bent over the side walls 20d and 228i at the recesses 3H between extensions BHE being so arranged that the walls 253% and 2d! are free to move toward and away from each other.

Inthe-foregoing the invention has been detherefor, said reel being rotatable in said casing;

a flexible longitudinal member wound on said reel; an end of said flexible longitudinal member I extending from said casing and providing means for securement to a relatively stationary support, a lever carried by said casing pivotally mounted therein; braking means carried by said casing coacting with said reel; said braking means comprising a flexible brake band surrounding the periphery of said reel; said reel comprising a pair of circular guide plates defining a central area in which the longitudinal flexible member is wound; the peripheries of said guide plates having braking surfaces; said brake band engaging said braking surfaces, one end of said lever being connected to an end of said brake band; the other end of said brake band being held relatively stationary; the other end of said lever carrying a support for an individual; said lever operating said braking means in accordance with the weight of the individual.

2. An escape device comprising a reel, a casing therefor, said reel being rotatable in said casing; a flexible longitudinal member wound on said reel; an end of said flexible longitudinal member extending from said casing and providing means for securement to a relatively stationary support, a lever carried by said casing pivotally mounted therein; braking means carried by said casing coacting with said reel; said braking means comprising a flexible brake band surrounding the periphery of said reel; said reel comprising a pair of circular guide plates defining a central area in which the longitudinal flexible member is wound; the peripheries of said guide plates having braking surfaces; said brake band engaging said braking surfaces, one end of said lever being connected to an end of said brake band; the other end of said brake band being held relatively stationary; the other end of said lever carrying a support for an individual; said lever operating said braking means in accordance with the weight of the individual, said brake band having a slot permitting passage therethrough of the said extending portion of the flexible longitudinal member.

3. An escape device comprising a reel, a casing therefor, said reel being rotatable in said casing; a flexible longitudinal member wound on said reel; an end of said flexible longitudinal member extending from said casing and providing means for securement to a relatively stationary support, a lever carried by said casing pivotally mounted therein; braking means carried by said casing coacting with said reel; said braking means comprising a flexible brake band surrounding the periphery of said reel; said reel comprising a pair of circular guide plates defining a central area in whi h the longitudinal flexible member is wound; the peripheries of said guide plates hav ing braking surfaces; said brake band engaging said braking surfaces, one end of said lever being connected to an end of said brake band; the other end of said brake band being held relatively stationary; the other end of said lever carrying a support for an individual; said lever operating said braking means in accordance with the weight of the individual, said brake band having a slot permitting passage therethrough of the said extending portion of the flexible longitudinal member; the means for holding the other end of the brake band stationary comprising a second lever pivoted in said casing, the end of the lever on one side of the pivot being connected to the said other end of the brake band; the opposite end of the second lever riding on the outer turns of the flexible longitudinal member on the reel and varying the braking tension in accordance with the diameter of the unwound portion of the flexible longitudinal member.

4. An escape device comprising a reel, a casing therefor, said reel being rotatable in said casing; a flexible tape wound on said reel; an end of said flexible tape extending from said casing and providing means for securement to a relatively stationary support, a lever carried by said casing pivotally mounted therein; braking means carried by said casing coasting with said reel; said braking means comprising a flexible brake band surrounding the periphery of said reel; said reel comprising a pair of circular guide plates defining a central area in which the flexible tape is wound; the peripheries of said guide plates having braking surfaces; said brake band engaging said braking surfaces, one end of said lever being connected to an end of said brake band; the other end of said brake band being held relatively stationary; the other end of said lever carrying a support for an individual; said lever operating said braking means in accordance with the weight of the individual, said brake band having a slot permitting passage therethrough of the said extending portion of the flexible tape; the means for holding the other end of the brake band stationary comprising a second lever pivoted in said casing, the end of the lever on one side of the pivot being connected to the said other end of the brake band; the opposite end of the second lever riding on the outer turns of the flexible tape on the reel and varying the braking tension in accordance with the diameter of the unwound portion of the flexible tape.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 421,269 Goldman Feb. 11, 1890 514,543 Cook Feb. 13, 1894 633,357 Caulfleld Sept. 19, 1899. 766,172 Dufi'ord Aug. 2., 1904 1,144,702 Forest June 29, 1915 1,631,279 Mandy June 7, 1927 1,766,566 Tucker June 24, 1930 1,775,736 Rose Sept. 16, 1930 2,252,998 Wachtel Aug. 19, 1941 

